Naomi Osaka marked her return to the court following a four-month absence with victory over France's Alize Cornet in the Melbourne Summer Set.
The 24-year-old failed to defend her US Open title in 2021 and announced that she would be taking an indefinite break following her defeat to eventual runner-up Leylah Fernandez.
Osaka had previously taken a hiatus in the summer citing mental health reasons, which was met with mixed responses following her refusal to partake in press conferences.
However, the four-time Grand Slam winner claimed a 6-4 3-6 6-3 over Cornet in the first round of the Melbourne Summer Set, despite posting a whopping 57 unforced errors.
"I really love playing here. I love New York, but this [the upcoming Australian Open] might be my favourite slam so it feels really good to always come back here," Osaka told the WTA following her victory.
Osaka will now face Maryna Zanevska in the second round of the tournament Belgian's victory over Petra Martic in straight sets.
Ben Knapton
